LAST SUMMER saw the end of the 'United government in Sri Lanka. This was a coalition of the Sri Lanka Freedom Par s (a bourgeois party), the Lanka Sama Samaja Party (an ex-Trotskyist party). and the pro-Moscow Six out of the seven years of their rule were under a state of emergency, Ene massacre or several mousand youth, press censorship, abolition of the right to strike under the emergency laws and essential services HIDESOCIE WITHOU tnal. hich unemployment. discrimination agand nepotism, starvation and death in the tea plantations and an economy in deep crisis → these were the main features of coalition rule.
Not surprisingly. the July election became a 'protest" election. The United National Party, which promised to fix everything, was swept to power with 139 out of 169 seats in the National State Assembly (NSA).
TAMIL STATE The SLFP got only eight seats and the working parties everything. This was the fruit of the "parliamentary road to A significant aspect of the election was the victory of the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) inall 14 seats in the Northern province, enabling it to become the biggest group in the opposition, with three more seats in the Eastera province.
The TULF claim justification TOCOLOUR mandate for a separate Tamils in the Northern and Eastern The Tamils of Indian' origin in the tea plantations have obviously not been won over to the idea.
The plantation workers remain the and being the most illiterate it is more opportunist political leadership which acais with une governmemt over then heads.
Although opposed to separate rule, the UNP promised to look into the grievances of the Tamils. It proposed anall party conference to deal with the problem, which has yet to take place.
NATIONWIDE RIOTS Soon after the UNP assumption of power in August, clashes between the Sinhala police and the Tamil public in the Northern province escalated into nation-wide riots. Tamils throughout Sri Lanka were persecuted.
The government did nothing while the police either stood by and watched the looting and killing or themselves took an active part in it.
It was only after several thousand families had fled north as refugees that the government decided to intervene. UNP leader JR Jayawardene (known to all as JR) pressurised the TULF leadership compromise demand for a separate Tamil state.
The TULF has a history of deals with capitalist governments and in the July elections failed to raise the Front' demand foraseparatestate.
To date nothing has been done to alleviate the problems of the Tamils. This has led to the emergence of militant youth organisations who subscribe to armed struggle as the routero separation.
Discrimination against the Tamils takes many forms. As well as giving their language and religion an interior status successive governments have adopted TaCIsi order, resettlement. Sinhalese brought into the Tamil areas to be given preferential treatment. Tamils without land or jobs are kept out of such schemes.
HARASSMENT 1977 There is an ever increasing use of police harassment of the Tamil youth and this has provoked them to acts of desperation. Repressive police methods are not confined to the Tamil areas alone but are throughout the country, A government-appointed commission examining the behaviour of the police and army during the August HOSI nots nas sull to puonsa us umangs but has already expressed strong crucisms or meitcachon The government released many of its own supporters who had imprisoned for exchange frauds by the oblised to release from the Janatha Vimukti Paramura (JVP) who had been jailed in 1971 on an unproven charge of waging war acarns the Queen. Still, the police constantly monitor JVP and mise months after beaming prime pulled constitutional coup president of the republic for a six year term, without election. He assumed the position of head of state and head executive. accountableto the NSA DIRECT CONTROL He has the power to dissolve the NSA and even if his supporters lose will still remain president. He is in direct control of the armed forces and has the power to declare a state of emergency. The suppression of trade unions, students and Tamil militants hasalready started.
JR even has the power to invite foreign troops to property. Finally, he can do all these things without the consent cabinet, whom he can appoint and dismiss as he pleases.
The UNP's main economic policy is the creation of a free trade zone (FTZ) in the greater COONDO promote foreign export-oriented government claims that this accelerate industrialisation and create li has already advertised the FTZ on Is extensively through embassies and the foreign press. i promises low land, construction, power and other facilities. approach people are while being used offer cheap illegal in the FTZ. been the countrys cconomic His widening technological gap caused by prisonct these problems.
SCCIC first budget become have been abolished being the OTCICTS uneducated and hence more docile.
is trying to develop DEVALUATION protect private massively, leading of his HaTed investment of privatetraders.
militancy. Fearing the government destruction.
COSI easy task
KEYLON
Above and below: organising the resistance to the UNP's pro-imperialist policies.
More ominously the advertisements skilled labour, tax concessions and industrial peace.
There are no unions and strikes are governmental growing debts, unemployment and a A further period of submission to international capital would worsen rather than solve The International Monetary Fund and World Bank have already moved that the Sri Lankan welfare state should be pruned. In the government's rations, which provide the only means of subsistence for millions of people, plated in Sri Lanka.
Iney nave sel out to counter the problem of the educated unemployed by attacking the tree national systen of education and encouraging private schooling, allegedly to offer freedom more of choice. Evidently the government implement them.
to Free medical and dental facilities are criticised as a luxury in a country which and private NSA to doso. practice has been given the go-ahead.
The rupee has twice been devalued aseries of offences.
to price rises uncompensated by increased wages.
Despite this the import of consumer and luxury items has been liberalised.
Finally, the co-operative movement is being undermined by a turn towards organisations. private enterprise which has placed those least able to affordit at the mercy Sri Lanka has a well organised trade union movement with a record of itself.
frighten off international investors.
nas phonusca l JR is aware that this will not be an and has decided against direct confrontation. Hehas opted for acombination of legislative and police methods coupled with an anti-union campaign in the media. appea Radio and the press are under control and imminent introduction of TV will provide the state with another vehicle JR is aided by betrayals of the almost working class which took place while the previous government was in power. However, joint trade union actions are beginning to take place, prompted by the publication of a the government white paper on employ relations, which has been described as the worst piece of anti-trade union legislation ever contemLEGISLATION In the face of such opposition JR has shelved the proposals, waiting for a opportune moment oice The JR government has taken three important legislative steps towards establishing a police statein sri Lanka using its two thirds majority in the In May a law relating to criminal procedure was passed. This limits the discretion of courts to grant bail and decide sentences of imprisonment for In the same month another law was passed proscribing an organisation calling itself the 'Liberation Tigers of lami telam and empowering te president to proscribe other similar The only evidence that such an CHICHE orLansation evenexis sanewsodoc! advertisement which many suspect to have been planted by the governmen Both laws give wide powers of arrest and detention, without the right of bail and even trial in the case or ine proscription law. The president may ban any organisation which, in his opinion, 'advocates the use of violence and is either directly or indirectly concerned in or engaged in any unlawful activity. There is no right of The most recent legislation proposed is a bill to repeal and redi the Sri Lankan constitution. revised version will make the open development of mass movements impossible and gives guaranteed legal protection The JR government has so far avoided any major confrontation with opposition Deen systematically rearming the apparatus and fostering links with imperialist agencies Amid growing unemployment, rising cost of living and the restriction of democratic rights, the working class opposition is starting to re-group words both sides are preparing to face any eventuality. A test of strength cannot be ruled out during this government's term of The poor response of the imperialist powers to the UNP's incentives is not surprising. They feel that JR has done a lot to encourage investment but that still more has to bedone.
International working class organisations, trade unions and socialists, particularly in the West, should be watchful of future developments in Sri Lanka. They must respond immediately when the Sri Lankan people challenge the repressive JR govern*This article was written by a Sri I ankan member of the Asian Socialis Forum, a group of socialists from Bangladesh who meet to discuss and take achion on the pourics or the sub continent. If you are interested in more group's activities write to: ASF.
CHO. COHOOT NW8 Socialist Challenge 2 November 1978 page 13
Neil Williamson IT WAS with great sadness that we heard of the premature death of Neil We knew Neil revolutionary, journalist, member and friend.
We wish this letter to be a simple tribute of our appreciation and respect for him.
PAUL BRADI BUT INSI DAVID NEILSON, JON [Edinburgh Socialist Workers Party members). Thumbs down IMG CORMAL #21 Socialist Challenge's should be too. certain Jewish community "leaders' were socialism can be practical/critical Theses THOUGH sapitalism now, not at some indefinite created